The Georgia Sports Hall of Fame is one step closer to determining their 61st Class, which will be inducted in February of 2017. The three-tiered process for induction began as the GSHF Consulting Committee met at the Hall on Tuesday, August 16 th and selected 35 finalists to move forward to the final selection process which takes place in September.

The Consulting Committee consists of a state-wide group of GSHF board members, Hall of Famers, sports media representatives, active and retired coaches, and athletic administrators. During morning deliberations, smaller committees discussed each of the over 130 eligible nominees within their individual sports and categories; in the afternoon session, the committee members met as a group to consider the candidates brought forward from the breakout sessions.

After group discussions, the members of the committee voted for the candidates they considered most qualified to be the newest members of the Hall of Fame. “We had a very diverse group from throughout the state debate some incredible nominees,” said new Hall of Fame President, Derek Waugh. “This was my first experience in the process and I am impressed at all of the amazing individuals that this state has been blessed by in athletics. Selecting a final group to be inducted is extremely challenging because there is so much excellence in Georgia.”

The Honors Court will meet in September to select the next class of inductees from among the 35 finalists. In addition to those selections, one nominee from the Senior category will also be chosen for enshrinement. The 2017 GSHF Induction Ceremony will be held in Macon on Saturday, February 25th.

A list of the 35 Hall of Fame finalists can be found here.